My colleague, Olaf von Voss, posted about the new updates to the filmmaker collaboration platform Frame.io previously on cinema5d. We had an opportunity to run through the update with CEO/Co-Founder of Frame.io, Emery Wells, and we jumped at the chance at NAB 2018 to learn more about this impressive update. Details and the full interview below:
Image credit: Frame.io
Frame.io added several new updates to their platform, but the addition of 360 video/4K playback, version stacking, presence functionality and the ability for file uploads to the service to pickup without a hiccup after an upload interruption all stood out for me in this update.
The All-New Frame.io
The presence feature allows stakeholders in a particular video project to see where other team-members are watching in realtime on the player timeline. This gives the impression of having a team sitting around in a single room watching a video in unison, despite having members working remotely. It sounds simple in practice, but I agree with Emery that this will lead to more organic creative moments between collaborators.
Another update standout for me was the introduction of annotations in 360 video. Want to direct viewers to a specific point in a 360 video that the team should see? Now doable in Frame.io.
4K playback is compressed for streaming on the platform, but once the client has green-lit the project you can deliver an uncompressed 4K file through the site. Very handy. Oh, and in case you were concerned about the upload speeds with 4K, Frame.io now uploads footage in 20mb packets. Perhaps your dog pulls the ethernet cable out of the wall 12gb into a 15gb upload? No worries. Frame.io may lose 20mb of data during the incident, but your upload will pick up right around 12gb, versus forcing you to restart the entire process.
Image Credit: Frame.io
Frame.io now has an improved version history breakdown (see above image). Perhaps you decide that your work in version 3 was better than in version 4 — you’ll now be able to rearrange the version stack and easily open version 3.
Collaboration between contributors and clients all working in different locations is becoming more and more common these days and frame.io has done a good job making that particular challenge less of a headache. The platform has improved steadily to the point where it seems like a good choice for individuals, small, medium and large production companies alike.
Availability
Frame.io will begin rolling out new updates with all features going live by the summer. Let’s see how these updates improve the overall workflow when it comes to making footage and entire projects available to teams whose members are scattered around the world (or just next door).
What doe you think? Do you use frame.io or other collaboration platforms already? Let us know in the comments below!

With 2017 almost in the rear view mirror, it’s time to focus on next year. What are the biggest video industry trends for 2018 and, no less importantly, which gear is right for the job?
Photograph credit: Jeremy Yap | unsplash.com
We’ve seen quite some game-changing products and concepts in these passed years. 8K has really arrived now in various shapes: RED’s Montro sensor, the no less monstrous Sharp 8C-B60A camera or Panavision’s own monster, called DXL. 360°, virtual reality and augmented reality are becoming mainstream. Just grab a RED Hydrogen phone and you’re all set (at least in theory, let’s see when it comes out). Editing and finishing software is getting more and more affordable. DaVinci Resolve is now a full-blown editing, audio mastering & color grading suite with collaboration features for $299. Insane!
Mainstream Video Tech Trends for 2018
But what’s next, how to utilize all these and all other technological advances? And which are the real technical trends you should go for during the year to come? I think there are some siginificant trends you should be aware of for 2018 which have the potential of upping your game as an indie filmmaker.
Autofocus for video
First up: autofocus. Yes, I know, a divisive topic. But the technology is here to stay, that’s for sure. Over the past year the technology has advanced big times and I believe it will play a major role as one of the trends for 2018.
Canon EOS C200 with V70 EVF
A lot of shots are very complicated to pull off when you are working as a one-man-band. Have you ever tried to execute a fancy gimbal move while maintaing focus through the entire shot? Not a trivial thing to do. Autofocus can help here. There are some quirks here and there, still, but with increasing sensor performance and computing power the abilities of autofocus-fueled cameras and lenses will spiral upwards.
Pro video features in portable cameras
Another trend might be portability. A lot of gear comes in the shape of big, bulky devices, designed to be operated by a whole crew. I personally own a C300 Mark II. It’s a fine filmmaking device but in order to work handheld with it I’ve had to add a baseplate, a Gratical VF, a follow focus and myriads of other tiny bits and pieces. Neither exactly lightweight, nor really portable. I need two ARRI bags all the time and that’s without a tripod.
AXIOM basic design
With small form-factor cameras becoming more and more capable and versatile, you should look out for new compact, yet powerful cameras in 2018! Besides of a possible Sony a7S III, we’ll certainly see other compact yet powerful (and audio-friendly, please) camera package in 2018! The AXIOM camera looks very promising already and devices like Edelkrone’s SliderONE Pro could be a very capable little helper while maintaining a small footprint.
The market seems to slowly recognize a rising need for such devices and, thanks to Moore’s law, a small footprint is no hurdle to power pro gear anymore.
Collaborative Tools
The 3rd of this list of trends is related to portability, but it’s not the same. It’s collaboration. I’m speaking software here. With services like frame.io or wipster.io it’s dead simple to work on a shared project over the internet. With full integration built into popular NLE’s like Adobe Premiere Pro it’s really easy to keep track of changes while on the go. Portability, so to speak. DaVinci Resolve 14 offers collaboration features, too. But these features only work in wired network enviroments for now. Using the aforementioned services also require handling the source footage from one computer to the next unless you’re fine with annotating snippets of the original timeline.
Collaboration with DaVinci Resolve 14
The real trend here is cutting the wires. I think it won’t be long until real co-editing of large video projects over the internet becomes a reality. With services like MASV.io sending large amounts of data over the internet already is a reality. Maybe 2018 won’t be the year of unlimited high-res internet-driven collaboration in post production but this is a very interesting development for the years to come.
What are YOUR shooting trends for 2018?
All of these trends have one thing in common: The individualization of (indie-)filmmaking. No heavy gear and no crew of 5+ people is required anymore. You still can go big, of course. The point is: you don’t have to. With 2018 around the corner you will have the freedom to choose how you want to pull off a given project. No more sacrifices in quality just because the camera of choice is too expensive or too heavy to work with on that job. A good thing, I would say. Hello 2018!
Photograph credit: Kristopher Roller | unsplash.com
What are your trends for 2018? Do you expect any major breakthroughs in your workflow due to the manifestation of some of the mentioned trends, or completely different ones? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The folks behind the popular online video collaboration tool have just released Frame.io 2. This new version packs over 100 new features and a completely revamped and streamlined interface. Let’s dive into the changes and enhancements!
Frame.io 2 re-designed review page.
Frame.io 2 Overview
If you’ve ever had to work on a project with collegues and clients sitting miles away in another city or even another country, then you know the usual problem: uploading videos, bouncing emails back and forth, endless phone calls, confusing timecode lists… it’s a mess.
Two years ago, frame.io hit the market in order to solve exactly these kind of issues. A lot has happened since then, though, such as the integration with Adobe Premiere Pro (read about it HERE) and the introduction of their mobile app (full article HERE). They have now stepped up their game significantly with the introduction of Frame.io 2.
The team has revamped the whole interface in order to improve the user experience and the efficiency of the app. They claim that a lot of the features are based on their customers’ feedback, which is always a good habit for multi-user products like this. Have a look at the video below to get an idea of the new features:
Did that intro video already get you hooked? Here’s one that explains the new Review Pages in more detail.
One of the best things is that the client doesn’t have to log in at all in order to get access to the full set of tools. You just have to provide them with a generated project link to Frame.io 2, and they’re all set. There’s even a short 1-minute video that explains the very basics, so your clients can get going fast once they’ve received the link to your project.
Also new to Frame.io 2 is the ability to export assets or the whole timeline as proxies in different resolutions. Another cool improvement is the integrated and streamlined upload process to video platforms such as Vimeo. The list goes on and on…
Detailed List of New Features
You can read all about the new Frame.io 2 over at their website. Here’s a detailed list of the new features and improvements:
The new dashboard view in frame.io 2.
Dashboard
Projects dashboard has been redesigned for speed and simplicity
New breadcrumb bar makes it easier to navigate your folder structure
New search bar to quickly find projects in the sidebar
Collaborators now show up at the top of the page
New collaborator pane simplifies the searching, inviting, and management of people to a project
New list view with sort by name, uploaded date, and size capability
“Mini scrub” enables hover scrubbing over video thumbnails in list view
Drag and drop files between projects without taking up more storage space
New join request panel allows collaborators to request team member permissions if they try to perform an action that is restricted
New status badges show up in the thumbnail grid so you can quickly see the status of any clip
New download options allow you to download proxy MP4 files with three resolution options
The new player window.
Player
The Player page has been revamped for a better media viewing and commenting experience
The new SMPTE-compliant source timecode display supports non-drop and drop frame timecode
New asset slider allows navigation between assets without leaving the player page
New comment heads on the player timeline help visualize who left a comment and where
New labelling feature helps manage approval workflows by communicating and keeping track of a clips status
Choose between Approved, In Progress, and Needs Review for your assets
After changing a label you can choose whom to notify in a new email messaging pane
Copy and paste comments (including replies) from one clip version to another
Printable PDF for comments include asset thumbnails, timecode, comments, annotations, and completion status
Introduction of the FIOXML file format for downloading comments. Comments are now also exportable as CSV and XML
Export comments to Final Cut Pro X. Requires the free Desktop Companion App to parse the comments and import into FCP X
Export comments to Avid Media Composer
New loop feature helps you repeat playback of an entire clip
Instantly publish to Vimeo (that’s faster than publishing on Vimeo.com) with full privacy controls
Added metadata to info panel: Upload date/time, filename, and uploader
Sharing
New Review Pages to collect feedback and approvals from external clients (no login required)
Review Pages are highly configurable: set passwords, expirations, download permissions, and approval permissions, as well as a custom name to identify each link
New Review Page management to add or remove media from an existing link or update its permissions
Added expiration option to Presentation Pages
Accounts Page
Redesigned account dashboard provides a summary of storage used, number of team members and collaborators, total project count, total file count, and total duration logged in Frame.io.
New Users page makes it easy to manage team members: inviting users to your team, deleting users from your account, and changing a user between an admin or regular member role
Admins can manage branding and billing
Billing page now contains invoice history, the ability to upgrade plans and credit card information
Easily log yourself out of other active sessions from other browsers or devices
New Apps & Integrations page provides a list of all 3rd-party integrations. These include NLE applications: Adobe Premiere, After Effects, and Final Cut Pro X. They also include cloud integrations with Vimeo and Slack
iOS
Support for creating and managing new Review Pages
Pricing
The frame.io 2 collaboration framework works on a subscription-based model. There’s a free tier with 1 project and 2 GB worth of storage included. After that there are basically four different tiers:
Starter: $15 per month – 3 projects and 10GB of storage.
Pro: $25 per month – unlimited projects, 50GB of storage, 25 collaborators and 0 team members.
Team: $50 per month – unlimited projects, 100GB of storage, 50 collaborators and 5 team members.
Business: $150 per month – unlimited projects, 400GB of storage, unlimited collaborators and 15 team members.
In this case, “Collaborators” are clients who have access to one given project only while team members share the whole list of projects with you. They can edit projects and permissions, invite others or create new projects.
Conclusion
Frame.io 2 seems to be a very decent evolution of their already decent video collaboration tool. There are others, of course, like wipster.io or Movidiam.com for example. You’ll have to find out for yourself which one better suits your needs in order to make an educated buying decision.
source: Frame.io website.
Do you use any kind of video collaboration tool already? Let us know in the comments below!

Modern times, people. Being online and available seems to be essential in the digital world. And never forget to collaborate, even while you’re having a cappuccino at your favorite coffee shop. Maybe that’s why Frame.io developed a brand new way to review video projects in the shape of their new Frame.io mobile app for iOS.
New Frame.io Mobile App
The way we collaborate has changed. With tools like Frame.io, wipster or Movidiam it has become very easy to review edits without the need of being present in the editing suite at all. That’s a good thing and takes the human error out of the process of sending download links and spreadsheets with annotations back and forth. Check out our reviews on Frame.io, wipster and Movidiam.
The next level of collaboration? Frame.io iOS app
Frame.io has introduced their newest addition to their lineup of collaboration tools, the Frame.io mobile app for iOS. So you don’t even need a laptop anymore in order to review some edits on the go. While this might be a neat thing, I actually wonder if this is the kind of work you really want to get done while sitting in a cab or while waiting for someone in the park.
In any case, it’s nice to see some steady progress from such an innovative company, and in the end you’ll have to decide for yourself what’s best for your given workflow. Variety is definitely a nice thing to have! And if you are in need of reviewing an edit without having your laptop handy, you will appreciate this.
iOS Features
Check out the video below for a short run-through of the features:
Modern technologies introduced with the iPhone 6, like peek and pop, are built right in and the app makes good use of these features, which is nice to see. The whole interface is pretty straightforward and fluid, and it looks like you can feel right at home with it. There was clearly a lot of thinking and developing going on behind the curtain.
Each comment is accompanied by a 4-second loop of that part of the edit, and you can even paint some arrows and other annotation aids right into the video frame. Of course, existing features like auto-versioning and comment syncing are built in, too. With this, you won’t need to write a review email ever again, that’s for sure!
What do you think? Is this something you’ve been waiting for or do you prefer sitting down at a desk, concentrating on the review process?
Read all about all the features on Frame.io’s website.

Frame.io just announced some exciting news: the video collaboration service will feature full integration with Premiere Pro, just ahead of this year’s NAB. When your project requires collusion, this collaboration service will have a huge impact on your workflow.
A Collaboration Service within the NLE
In 2015 when frame.io opened their doors for business, one of the first major announcements that they made was that the service was integrated with Final Cut Pro X. A year on and they’ve announced another milestone in their collaboration service’s history—full integration with Adobe Premiere Pro. The whole application has been rewritten to work within the native Premiere Pro panel structure.
The new app is scheduled to go live within the next month. Check out the teaser clip:
The web version of frame.io won’t be going anywhere, so a client who is just reviewing and commenting without ever touching an NLE won’t miss out. Within Premiere Pro, you will find a shared cloud bin which can be accessed by anyone on the team simultaneously. Other features include:
One-click import and export of sequences, project files, and entire bins.
Real-time comments directly in your Premiere timeline with no marker syncing
Auto-versioning for rapid iteration on creative ideas
Comment marker syncing for when you do not have an internet connection
Sync’d playback in Frame.io and your Premiere timeline
This is a huge step up in terms of active user base and therefore, a big opportunity for the company. But there is competition, too. Other companies, such as Movidiam or Wipster, which both offer their own collaboration service—and they are definitely worth a closer look.
One tool to unite them all!
It’s always the same. No tool perfect for every job, nor is every aspect of a given tool 100% perfect. Let’s break some of the tools down real quick, shall we?Movidiam.com is the jack-of-all-trades within the collaboration service market, providing everything from finding and gathering a talented team for your production to project management and, of course, post-production feedback and collaboration. You can even pay your hired team from within Movidiam! The service offers free profile accounts for working creatives, and several plans for producers and agencies, starting from $25/month. Check out our recent article on all the features of movidiam.
Wipster.io is a true online collaboration service which enables you to gather feedback on your edit, within the video itself, after you have uploaded it. Each and every comment from clients or colleagues will be transformed into a to-do list. That’s a neat feature, as it is helping to make the traditional copy/paste process a thing of the past. The service starts at $15 per user per month.
Just recently, they announced deep integration with vimeo for a streamlined reviewing and uploading process.
The wipster + vimeo process
And now, frame.io aims fully integrate with the NLE of your choice (Final Cut X and Premiere Pro, at least); allowing you to exchange thoughts on your edit while you’re actually editing the piece in question—and without ever leaving your NLE. The price ranges from free (2GB, 1 project, 5 collaborators), over $25/month (50GB, unlimited projects, 25 collaborators) all the way to $150/month (400GB, unlimited projects and collaborators, 15 team members).
Which collaboration service will work best for you depends on a number of factors. You will have to find the right one for you on your own, luckily they all offer a free account or a trial period so that you can test their functionality vs. your requirements.
Is it safe up there?
There is one downside, though. It’s not a particular problem with one of the apps mentioned, it’s more of a systemic thing: Do you really want to have your precious and maybe sensitive projects fully connected and synced within some kind of online service whatsoever? Every company which offers cloud-based services claims to be secure, but history teaches us that there is no such thing as total data security. Well, you have to decide: hard drive and email vs. a state of the art collaboration tool.
Exciting times, that’s for sure!